PORTLAND, Ore. -- Samford incoming freshman Katie Peters was formally invited Tuesday to attend the U.S. Soccer Under-20 Women's National Team training camp, which will be held July 2-11. The Bulldogs' highly-touted native of Greenfield, Ind., was one of only six goalkeepers chosen from across the nation to compete for the three final roster positions.
 
"We're extremely excited for Katie," said Samford head coach Todd Yelton. "She's worked really hard to make herself one of the best goalkeepers in the country, and it's nice to see that U.S. soccer has realized her abilities and is going to give her a chance to go out to Portland and train with them. We're just really happy for her."
 
Peters, who is the first player in Samford history to earn an invitational to the U.S. National Team training camp, will get the opportunity to be trained by the national team coaches, as well as train and compete against national team players.
 
"Being around the national staff will definitely be some of the best training that Katie will be able to get," Yelton said. "Any time that you have an opportunity to train at the highest level, and play against top competition, it can only make you better, so we're excited for Katie."
 
The U.S. Under-20 Women's National Team is coached by first-year Head Coach Michelle French. French was hired as head coach of the U.S. Under-20 Women's National Team on Feb. 20, 2013. A former U.S. international at the senior and youth levels, and a former professional player in the WUSA, French joins U.S. Soccer as the first full-time head coach for the U-20 age group.
 
Peters, the Bulldogs' 5-foot-9 freshman goalkeeper, attended Greenfield Central High School and was a member of the prestigious Carmel United Soccer Club. She earned ISCA First-Team All-State honors as a senior and was named the Player of the Year in Hancock County. Peters also garnered Most Valuable Player honors at GCHS and was a two-time team captain.
 
"It's been a process here at Samford that was started 11 years ago," said Yelton. "We've been able to build a top-notch program, essentially from the ground up, and now it's great to see that we've gotten to a point where we have someone like Katie excel and make it to the national stage. That's another piece in the puzzle towards getting us to where we eventually want to be as a program."
 
Last season, Peters received all-district, all-county and all-conference accolades for a fourth straight year. A tremendous athlete, she also excelled in basketball and was named the team captain as a junior in 2011. Peters earned multiple all-conference honors in basketball and led her soccer squad to the 2011 Indiana State Cup championship.
 
A four-time all-conference honoree, Peters earned ISCA Third-Team All-State accolades as a sophomore and was named the MVP of her squad at GCHS.
 
Peters started in goal as a true freshman and was quickly honored as the Top Team Player by the ISCA. She registered a school-record 15 shutouts in her first year and only allowed eight goals all season.
 
Peters and the Samford University soccer team will begin competitive play in its 2013 schedule Aug. 18 at 5 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs travel to Nashville, Tenn., for a preseason exhibition match against the Belmont Bruins to be held at E.S. Rose Park.